Research

OOCC Research Program

The Olive Oil Commission of California is authorized to fund research that is bene cial to the California olive oil industry. The overarching objectives of research conducted by the Olive Oil Commission of California are to continually improve the quality of California olive oils and to assist farmers in successfully growing a healthy, sustainable crop.

Currently, the OOCC is funding the projects noted below. Reports on past OOCC research projects can be accessed here.

Category: Olive Oil Quality

Analysis of 2017 Harvest Oil Quality Data

Objective: Provide California olive producers with an evaluation of the OOCC’s mandatory sampling and testing program and its impact on the quality of California olive oil.

Researcher: UC Davis Olive Center

Budget: $9,000

Survey on California commercial olive oil off-the-shelf in the marketplace

Objective: Gather and test samples of California olive oils collected at retail to inform handlers on how the quality of these oils are holding up in the marketplace and, when possible, compare retail tests to data collected at time of production.

Researcher: UC Davis Olive Center

Budget: $50,000

Protocol development for measuring induction time for olive oil and analysis of the OOCC samples for best before date

Researcher: UC Davis Olive Center

Budget: $9,050

Protocol development for measuring fat and moisture content of olives using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy or Soxhlet

Objective: Optimize procedures and develop a protocol for measuring fat and moisture content in olives using NIR and Soxhlet extraction methods used to determine olive fruit maturity.

Objective: Build a robust database on the chemical makeup of olive oil from all regions of California for use in ensuring that OOCC purity standards are inclusive of all genuine olive oils produced in the state.

Research Project Archive

Lead Investigator: J. E. Adaskaveg, University of California, Riverside

This multi-year project examines a number of potential treatments to prevent olive knot in California olive orchards. Olive knot, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. Savastanoi, is considered one of the most economically important diseases of olives in California as infection may lead to tree defoliation, dieback, and reduced tree vigor, which ultimately lowers fruit yield.

Annual reports are available below and you can view a presentation by Dr. Jim Adaskaveg here.